Son of ex-UK star "really likes" Louisville

Jody Demling

06/06/2015

Fremont, Ohio, Ross High School Class of 2017 athlete Russ Yeast, the son of former Harrodsburg High and University of Kentucky star Craig Yeast, was one of the athletes who had a big camp with the University of Louisville on Saturday. Yeast played wide receiver and defensive back during the camp at U of L.

Freemont, Ohio, Ross High School Class of 2017 athlete Russ Yeast said his father doesn't mind what college he picks as long as "I make the right pick for myself."

But even if Yeast, whose father played at Kentucky, picks rival Louisville?

"Yeah, he wants me to be happy," the younger Yeast said. "I really like Louisville. If that's the way it works out, that's fine (with his father) and with my whole family."

The Cardinals are one of his 10 offers and on Saturday the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Yeast was one of the standouts at the U of L camp. He played both wide receiver and cornerback at the camp.

"That wasn't my plan coming in," he said. "But coach (Terrell) Buckley and coach (Lamar) Thomas told me to work with the defense in the afternoon to show them what I could do. I think it worked out."

Yeast said he only played corner the final two games of last season and was "still learning." He picked up the offer from the Cardinals when he made a visit to watch a spring practice in April.

"I really like the coaching staff at Louisville a whole lot," he said. "They're a staff I could play for. I like the coaches, it's in my home state and the facilities are top notch. I could see myself playing for Louisville.

"It would be different but my dad wants me to do what's best for me."

Yeast will also camp at Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan State, Ohio State and Notre Dame. His other offers are from UK, Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Washington State, Toledo, Cincinnati and Central Michigan.

His mother, Tori Tillman Yeast, won state track championships at Danville High School and was a basketball standout who walked on at Kentucky. Craig Yeast was a three-sport standout at Harrodsburg who left UK?in 1998 as the all-time leader in receptions in the Southeastern Conference with 208 catches for 2,899 yard.

The elder Yeast was the third pick of the fourth round in the 1999 NFL draft and played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets. His best NFL season came as a Bengal in 2000 when he caught 24 passes for 301 yards. He is now the head coach at Freemont Ross.